Routine
by Kazima Kuwabara
Summary: Hiei...get off his grave..." ... "Why should I? He was a lowly human. There's nothing he can do about me perching against his headstone."


Upwards and onwards with this. No babble today, 'sept for this little spiel. And as always I don't own anything.

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"Sleeping?" Kurama asked smiling at Hiei who was leaning against a headstone; the headstone of who they were visiting today. Hiei popped open an eye, and grunted, before closing it again as if he was too busy or important to respond to the kitsune.

"Just resting then?" Kurama asked nudging Hiei with his boot, trying to get Hiei to budge from the grave he was rooted upon. Hiei didn't answer, nor did he move. Kurama sighed and sat down on his knees, back straight, and looking regal as ever in this formal way of sitting. "Hiei…get off his grave."

Hiei looked away from Kurama and seemed to consider this order. After several long moments he said, "Why should I? He was a lowly human. There's nothing he can do about me perching against his headstone."

Kurama smiled knowing better than to trust Hiei's harsh seemingly uncaring words. Kurama cleared his throat and said calmly, "Hiei…you're right. There is nothing he can do about you sitting on his grave…But get off of Kuwabara. No matter how much you think you're aggravating him…you're _right. _Kuwabara _can't_ come back and make you get off his headstone…no matter how much you wish it."

Hiei grumbled and looked away from Kurama's knowing eyes. "Damn fox…foolish beast. Think you know everything…" Hiei grumbled but he got up and moved to sit next to Kurama, and along with the red head stared at Kuwabara's humble grave marker.

Kuwabara headstone was simple and elegant in it's own way, it bore Kuwabara's full name and the date he was born and died. It was white, and seemed to shine brightly, even when there was no sun or moon to shine down on the stone. There were a few flowers on the grave, fresh. Brought no doubt, by Yusuke Urameshi who had visited his best friend yesterday.

He would not visit Kuwabara today. Not on the anniversary of Kuwabara's death. Yusuke visited his dead friend every other day, but he would never visit Kuwabara on the anniversary of his passing. It was one of Yusuke's weird unexplainable little habbits. He never let Hiei or Kurama know why he didn't visit Kuwabara on the anniversary of his death, but somewhere, deep down both demons knew that it was just the nature of Yusuke and Kuwabara's relationship. After all, both Kurama and Hiei had a feeling that if Yusuke had been the one to die as a human, and Kuwabara had been the demon the situation would remain the same. Kuwabara would not visit Yusuke on the anniversary of his death.

It was just the odd little thing between Yusuke and Kuwabara...just another oddity that had made up their bond.

Kurama and Hiei however found that 70 years after Kuwabara died that this day was the only day they visited him. But they thought of the human they had once befriended often, that face was undeniable. This day, the day to visit Kuwabara's headstone was just part of a routine that neither Kurama nor Hiei could stop.

"So…how is Mukuro?" Kurama offered eyes staring straight ahead.

Hiei shrugged, red eyes also looking straight ahead though he let his gaze fall just over Kuwabara's headstone, "She has given birth to my third child. She sends her regards."

Kurama smiled, "Well congratulations. What is the child? Male...female? A name?"

Hiei looked a little uncomfortable about talking about his family, as he always tended to be. "He's a boy. His name is Van…" Hiei trailed off awkwardly unsure of what to say next. Hiei was oddly uncomfortable when it came to talking about his family, but maybe that was because he was unused to being involved in a loving relationship-even if Mukuro and Hiei's relationship was a little strange to most.

Kurama smiled and decided to spare Hiei the agony of talking, by announcing, "I am thinking on finding a mate for myself as well. I could use the companionship."

Hiei paused and glanced at Kurama, "Well…Mukuro and I would welcome you in her territory. The children do consider you their uncle…" Hiei looked away from Kurama's smiling face, trailing off awkwardly once again.

Kurama smiled, "I'll consider that."

Silence passed and Hiei sighed finally saying, "I'm glad Kuwabara isn't around…he's say something stupid and annoying no doubt."

Kurama smiled and nodded, "Quite stupid…"

"And pointless…with no real importance to the conversation."

"Oh yes of course."

"And his voice would be too loud."

"Ah, don't forget how it used to crack…even when he was well into his 60's it was still cracking."

"Hmf. I used to wonder if puberty lasted a lifetime for that fool."

"Oh, me too. His laugh was contagious though."

"…Hmm."

"Remember how he died?" Kurama asked suddenly.

Hiei shrugged. Of course he remembered. He remembered how Kuwabara had never seemed quite so frail at his old age of 103. How his skin had folded and wrinkled, how Kuwabara had grown sensitive to the cold, and how Kuwabara's old eyes just didn't seem to be as good as they used to. Kuwabara had been laughing that morning when Hiei, Kurama, and Yusuke had visited them, but by lunch Kuwabara seemed so tired. He had reached out his hand, and Hiei could recall how old boney fingers reached out and pat his head. Hiei had growled in annoyance but Kuwabara moved on to pat Kurama and Yuske's heads as well before Kuwabara tottered off into the kitchen. The three demond heard Kuwabara collapse moments later and found the human dead on the ground. Hiei closed his eyes tight and when he opened them finally answered Kurama.

"Of course not. Why would I remember such a meaningless day. It was just the death of another pointless human."

Kurama smiled, and rather proudly stated, "I miss him."

Hiei glanced at Kurama after the red head announced that. He saw the sadness and truth in his friend's green eyes. Hiei sighed and looked down at his hands.

"Yes…I do too," Hiei admitted, "It got quiet when he left."

"Yes…Yusuke wasn't as energetic as he used to be."

"There were no arguments…everything ran smoothly."

"Yes you're right Hiei…everything did run smoothly. No mistakes. No goof ups. No…terribly inappropriate lame jokes. No sputtering questions of matters that should have been quite simple."

"Hmm…no honor speeches."

"Ah…You did like that he was truly honorable didn't you Hiei?"

"Well you liked his dopey grin," Hiei snapped looking away.

Kurama smiled, "I liked his uniqueness that he added to the group. He was…is a dear friend."

Hiei nodded, "Yes…I guess so."

Kurama suddenly shivered and smiled, "Oh…he's coming."

Hiei straightened up, wiping his remorseful look away from his face, "Yes…late as usual."

Red and green eyes focused on the grave, in the very center. A tiny speck of orange light sprouted from the ground like a flower. A dull bell like sound picked up in the air, and the wind began to stir. Leaves were torn from their branches and scattered in the wind, circling the area in a spiraling swirl. The tiny speck grew to the size of a marble and then, just like a flower something sprouted from the light.

Something that almost resembled silk began to twist from the light, twist and stretch and bend, circling around and around the headstone, before in just a matter of second burst into golden glitter. And finally the specter of Kazuma Kuwabara sat on his grave. He looked as he did the very first time Kurama and Hiei met him.

Tall, big, young, and goofy looking…and as he always did when he returned—smiling.

Kuwabara let out a sigh, though he didn't need to breath, and in fact hadn't felt the urge for breath for a long time, and in the same old voice spoke, "Hey guys. Just as Yusuke said…you'd be here. Just like always."

"Yes…as is routine…" Kurama said eyes glittering as memories of days long ago swept around him.

"Mmm…how dull…" Hiei said, though his eyes looked ready to start an argument, and his mouth quirked up in an awkward smile.

Kuwabara grinned beaming at the friends he left behind when he had died many years ago, "So…tell me…How have you guys been?"

**End**


End file.
